Description
RAP launched a campaign to ban car ads in France. They state: ‘A whole way of life has been built around car dependency, supported by policies and infrastructures that leave no choice - especially for the most precarious populations - but to suffer air pollution, noise pollution, accidents, road development and social compartmentalization. In order to maintain a liveable planet, tomorrow's mobility must be built with fewer cars, less speed, less distance travelled by car, and more public transport and active mobility.’
Car industry advertising mythology
RAP points to advertising as one of the main drivers of this lifestyle. ‘The advertising mythology that the industry has built around the "car", a symbol of freedom, virility, speed, domination, etc, locks us into a society where the car, an object of desire and no longer of need, is at the center of everything, while conveying social values that are more than problematic. Moreover, the aim of advertising is to stimulate demand, and it therefore directly contributes to the over-consumption of heavy and polluting vehicles, delaying the achievement of France's climate objectives. For example, in 2019, SUV advertising reached 3.5 hours per day on television.
Action at Mondial
RAP wants to denormalize the use of private cars. An action in October 2022 was held at the ‘Mondial de l’Auto’ (a Paris Motor Show) because it is used as a showcase for greenwashing by the automotive industry, and it is urgent to demystify the "automotive dream" that it promotes. ‘The values associated with the individual car through advertising are dangerous and misleading with regard to the dramatic consequences of car dependence for human beings and for life in general.’
